Murder suspects appear in court

Neighbors speak during preliminary hearing Tuesday

By Ashley Bunton - abunton@civitasmedia.com

Three interpreters were sworn in Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for the murder case of Venancio Garcia-Arquimides, of Bloomingburg.

After telling friends they had planned to quit their jobs at a Madison County dairy farm and go back to Mexico, German Posados-Cruz and German Posados-Hernenegildo were picked up last week in Illinois by state officers and brought back to the Fayette County Jail on charges of murder.

They both appeared Tuesday in the Washington Court House Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing in the murder case of Venancio Garcia-Arquimides, 42, of Bloomingburg.

Arquimides was found unresponsive with head wounds July 20 by a friend who lived in the same apartment building at 11928 State Route 38 near Yatesville.

German Posados-Cruz, 49, and German Posados-Hernenegildo, 22, were each charged with murder after detectives interviewed friends and co-workers of Arquimides.

Cruz and Hernenegildo appeared before the court with their attorneys. John Scott, Fayette County assistant prosecutor, represented the state of Ohio, along with assistant prosecutor Sean Abbot. Three Spanish interpreters certified by the Ohio Supreme Court were present to translate for each defendant and the witnesses. The hearing went on for two hours before it was continued.

A witness, Javier Lopez-Villalobos, said he had lived in the apartment on State Route 38 for approximately three years. On July 20, he worked a 12-hour shift at the dairy farm and then returned home.

“I went into the house, went to put my clothes on the washer, went up to the room, started to charge my phone, was laying there awhile to rest,” he said.

Then he went to see his friend, Arquimides, who lived in another apartment in the same building.

“I opened the door to the room where Venancio sleeps. I saw the blood that was on the floor and I went inside just a little bit to get a look at him, and I saw he had blood on the back of his head, and then I ran out of the door,” said Villalobos.

He said he then went to tell the other people who lived in the building.

Jose Juan Sanchez-Piña was called as a second witness. He said he has been living in the apartment building for about five years and had also just arrived home after a 12-hour shift at the dairy farm.

“I was drinking a beer, smoking a cigarette, texting with my girl friend saying I was going to go to her house,” he said.

That’s when Piña heard Villalobos knocking on his door and yelling.

“He was scared, he told me Venancio had fallen, he was laying on the bed. I went to Venancio’s room upstairs with Javier (Villalobos) and two other friends. When I entered the room, I see a lot of blood on the floor, he was laying face down, and I yelled at him to get up. I touched him,” said Piña.

Piña said Venancio felt cold and then he went back to his room and began yelling and crying.

“He was my boyfriend,” said Piña. He said they had been in a relationship for three years, but Piña moved out of Arquimides’ apartment in May.

He insisted they were still friends.

“The previous Sunday (to July 20) he went to eat at my house. In the time we were separated, we chatted,” said Piña.

Scott asked Piña if the two had been mad at each other after separating.

“No, as a matter of fact, we were planning to come back together,” said Piña.

Scott asked Piña if he knew of anyone who had a problem with Arquimides and Piña said no. But the first witness, Javier Lopez-Villalobos, pointed to German Posadas-Hernenegildo and said, “The only person who had a problem with Arquimides is right there.”

The hearing is set to resume Thursday.

Three interpreters were sworn in Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for the murder case of Venancio Garcia-Arquimides, of Bloomingburg.

http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/08/web1_20160802_123640-1-2.jpgThree interpreters were sworn in Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for the murder case of Venancio Garcia-Arquimides, of Bloomingburg.

Neighbors speak during preliminary hearing Tuesday

By Ashley Bunton

abunton@civitasmedia.com

Reach Ashley at the Record-Herald (740) 313-0355 or on Twitter @ashbunton